I had two associates waiting to take my 1998 Black ML320 off my hands, so who wants to disappoint friends. I was 1st on the list for an X5 at the local BMW/MB dealer, having phoned a request in the day before the 1999 Detroit Auto Show opened. The vehicle was supposed to be in by December, but custom silver X5s with the sport package and all the goodies were unavailable until late March 2000.

At the office the new X5 SAV caused quite a stir among the fairer gender. When I got the ML320 two years ago, it didn't cause the same stir of gender emotion. Musta been the minivan looking rear end. There is also a new 2000 M5 in our smallish parking lot, but it doesn't turn heads like the X5.

Behind the Wheel

A day after delivery, I was on my way to Aspen. My Land Cruiser/Range Rover Defender owning friends in South Bend thought the car like feel of the SAV was awesome. The X5 is a lot more taught than the ML 320. I would say the difference is primarily due to the unibody vs. body on frame construction. The cornering doesn't ever feel tippy and the brakes are exceptional. The low profile 19" sport wheels and tires contribute to tracking sensitivity and a bit of buckboarding on heavy truck worn Michigan highways, but once you leave the Motor City area, the rest of the country's asphalt feels fine. The xenon headlights are great, as is the typical BMW ergonomic packaging. Seat warmers heat up quickly, and almost no wind noise at speed. But the best option, is the heated steering wheel. Still not quite like a wood wheel, but very comforting on frosty mornings. I never tried to drive solo 825 miles in one day, but the X5 was very comfortable for 11 hour rides without any breaks except for fuel.

Engine comparison is not done here, cause a 4.4 V8 vs a 3.2 V6 is not a fair comparison. But I remember in December when the demo unit came in, I drove the ML430 back to back with the X5. The ML430 didn't feel that much different than the torquey ML320. Never had snow/ice during March/April in Aspen, so can't comment on winter driving experience.

Dislikes

Stowage in the boot is puny compared to the ML 320 or Explorer, feels about par with a Jeep Cherokee. The computer is overly complicated and you can't read the radio in sunlight. For the $1200 premium sound kit, you don't get a cd changer, just an in dash single disc unit. The tailgate latch has been giving me fits since day one.

So which vehicle is better? Value wise, the ML320 is hard to beat. Even the ML430 is substantially less costly than the X5. But if you want great styling and the handling of a sports sedan crossover vehicle, pay the dealer (in this case the same guys whether BMW or Mercedes) the big money. You'll be grinning from the first minute you hear the engine growl.